not on the test
a song by John Forster & Tom Chapin
© 2007 Limousine Music Co. & The Last Music Co. (ASCAP)
Click to LISTEN and then send it to your administrator and congressperson!
Go on to sleep now, third grader of mine.
The test is tomorrow but you'll do just fine.
It's reading and math. Forget all the rest.
You don't need to know what is not on the test.
Each box that you mark on each test that you take,
Remember your teachers. Their jobs are at stake.
Your score is their score, but don't get all stressed.
They'd never teach anything not on the test.
The School Board is faced with no child left behind
With rules but no funding, they're caught in a bind.
So music and art and the things you love best
Are not in your school 'cause they're not on the test.
Sleep, sleep, and as you progress
You'll learn there's a lot that is not on the test.
Debate is a skill that is useful to know,
Unless you're in Congress or talk radio,
Where shouting and spouting and spewing are blessed
'Cause rational discourse was not on the test.
Thinking's important. It's good to know how.
And someday you'll learn to, but someday's not now.
Go on to sleep, now. You need your rest.
Don't think about thinking. It's not on the test.
© 2007 Limousine Music Co. & The Last Music Co. (ASCAP)
Click to LISTEN and then send it to your administrator and congressperson!
Go on to sleep now, third grader of mine.
The test is tomorrow but you'll do just fine.
It's reading and math. Forget all the rest.
You don't need to know what is not on the test.
Each box that you mark on each test that you take,
Remember your teachers. Their jobs are at stake.
Your score is their score, but don't get all stressed.
They'd never teach anything not on the test.
The School Board is faced with no child left behind
With rules but no funding, they're caught in a bind.
So music and art and the things you love best
Are not in your school 'cause they're not on the test.
Sleep, sleep, and as you progress
You'll learn there's a lot that is not on the test.
Debate is a skill that is useful to know,
Unless you're in Congress or talk radio,
Where shouting and spouting and spewing are blessed
'Cause rational discourse was not on the test.
Thinking's important. It's good to know how.
And someday you'll learn to, but someday's not now.
Go on to sleep, now. You need your rest.
Don't think about thinking. It's not on the test.
posted by Jen Reed @ 1:00 PM
1 comments
As we searched for the entrance to the bridge, we were approached by a man who said, "Excuse me, ladies. Could you walk on the other side of the street? We shooting a film here." Sure enough, they were. And, sure enough, it was Matt Damon with fake blood in a fake car crash for The Bourne Ultimatum, to be released August 3, 2007. (That's him in all black, next to the director's chair.)
We found the entrance to the pedestrian walk, above the cars, over the Brooklyn Bridge and we joined what must have been hundreds of pedestrians and cyclists in crossing over, stopping along the way for multiple pictures. It was actually a gorgeous day for this sort of touristy outing; the sun was shining and there was just a slight breeze.
Once in Brooklyn, we headed to the famed Grimaldi's for a New York style pizza lunch. Patsy Grimaldi, the founder of Grimaldi's, learned to make pizza at his uncle Patsy Lancieri's pizzeria in 1941 at age ten. Grimaldi believed coal-fired brick ovens produced the best pizza, and it was illegal to build new coal ovens in Manhattan, so the pizzeria ended up opening in the 1990's on Old Fulton Street under the Brooklyn Bridge. Grimaldi’s is small and very popular with tourists and locals alike; before being seated we waited for about half an hour in a line that stretched down the street. Unlike most pizzerias in New York, Grimaldi’s sells only whole pies (a sign that reads “No Slices” and "Take Out, Same Line" is displayed in the front window), so we ordered a small with pepperoni on one half and garlic on the other. Rated as the best in the city by Zagats six consecutive years running, Grimaldi’s is known for going light on the sauce and heavy on the fresh ingredients –- including mozzarella slices made on the premises. Our crust was perfectly crunchy and chewy, with a hint of smokiness from the oven. The fresh tomato sauce was tangy, the mozzarella was slightly salty, the pepperoni was spicy, and the garlic was sweet and crunchy. We left with full bellies and smiles!
We took a short walk down to the river to look over the water toward Manhattan, take more pictures, and relish the pizza goodness. We had planned to try the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory - another famous New York eatery - for dessert, but we were just too full and instead we headed for the subway and home. It was another great New York Day!
Next, we headed to the casino and the slot machines. Jenn chose penny slots for us, and she played and lost $5 quickly. Then it was my turn. And I won! I put in $5, and came out with $14.75. I guess it's good she convinced me to play! We collected my winnings and then went to the boardwalk. 
Before we headed home, we found a bar where the bar tender told us "I'm your cocktail menu," and proceeded to make us quite the Rum Runner concoctions. We sat on white Adirondack chairs, with our feet in the sand, on the third floor of the mall overlooking the ocean and enjoyed our drinks before the bus ride home to New York.
